San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-02-17
For the FREE Press.
Farmers Alliance.

FurincTS Alliuuccs
Extracts from an address read at
the Oyster Creek Alliance by Mr..
George Piper:
Ladies' and Gentlcmcn:-I come
before you this evening to advocate
tho emancipation of labor from mo-
nopoly. The whole civilized world
is being agitated and moved to op-
pose this close listed giant; md well
may we bestir ourselves, lest this
gourmand usurp even the powers of
our government. Believing in the
existence of God as supreme being,
and that he rules and governs oil
things, and is just to punish crime
and reward virtue, presents tho fact
to my mind that He is moving upon
the minds of the people to prepare
for the crisis, rs He did upon the
mind of Moses to deliver the child
rem of Israel from Egyptian bondage
This equal showing, which we so
earnestly desire, cannot be obtained
by sitting on the stool of do nothing.
We must band together. We must
use every lawful and honorable means
to put us on an equal footing.
Money,--contemplate this king for
moment. We see the rich getting
richer and the poor getting poorer.
There is nothing free from its seduc-
tive gaze, save honor, integrity and
Justice. Labor, the foundation of all
wealth, goes unremunerated, and slips
into the pockets of the gourmands by
some trick of gambling. The poor
man toiling from sun to sun, year in
and out, pays from fifty to one hund-
red per cent. tariff on all the articles
of commerce. This must not be If
we would be a proud and independ-
ent people. We, the people OF the
United States, through the medium
of Congress levy q tax upon all I'M
ported goods, and this tax comes out
of the pocket of the consumer and
Jumps into the pockets of the few
manufacturers of the New England
States.
As I contemplate the future with n
complacent smile, and view the
Farmers Alliance of this grand State
of Texas, all joining hands in the up
building of the many, and not OF a
few, feelings of ecstacy enrapture my
soul
Whatever may be said of the To-
gality of the Alliance, this we know
that it is the innate nature OF all
Gods creatures to seek self protec-
tion. Behold the fowls of the air
the insects, the hare, the beasts OF
the field, all of which have some
means of flight or escape, may not
man then, endowed with faculties OF
reason, seek some means OF protec-
tion. Surely no candid mind can
dispute this being most righteous
step, when we take into considera.
ton that all the other trades and
professions have allied themselves to-
gether? This they do, we suppose,
for their mutual benefit. Why not
then the brawny sons of toll have the
same privilege? Yes, let us band
together, ye salt of tho earth, and
raise ourselves to that eminence
where monopolies will deign to pay
us court. Let our watch word be
education. Let brain and muscle
cooperate, and taking the Bible for
our guide, success will follow as nat
uralIy as the light the dawn. Let us
attain unto that standard, wherein it
will not be necessary to have men OF
other interests and professions to
represent and do the work which we
should do ourselves.
Uniting ourselves together for mu-
tual benefit, thus tightening the bur-
dens of each other, and extending
good will toward all men, we mny
yet hope to call ourselves q happy,
prosperous yeomanry.